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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (76)

Title: Between Shades of Gray

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Publisher: Penguin

Date: March 22, 2011

In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp. All is lost.Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?Between Shades of Gray is a riveting novel that steals your breath, captures your heart, and reveals the miraculous nature of the human spirit. A little before WWII, my great grandma was in Germany and was trying to get her mother out. She ended up hiding a jewish family, before she was caught. My family to this day, doesn't know what happened to her. She disappeared like many people in Europe did at that time. My grandpa also was awarded a few Purple Hearts for fighting in Normady in WWII. I am really interested in this time period. I first read Anne Frank, when I was ten and I loved it. My dad mentioned Stalin several times, while I was reading it and I later went and read about his purges. I was shocked that someone would kill someone over something that they had no control of. I am really excited to read this book and you can watch an amazing video from Ruta, here.

3 comments:

Wow! I love art and I love stories set in Russia. I went there last year, and the country is amazing! One of the fascinating treks was our visit to the Museum of the KGB. Your family story is amazing too.Shades of Gray sounds like a book I should buy when it comes out.